Milk Pail Market counts down to closing day in Mountain View
Steve Rasmussen, owner of the European-style Milk Pail Market for 45 years, stayed true to his word when he announced the stand’s closing in March:
He and his family would give customers a few more months to buy their fresh produce, cheeses, butter, breads, bake-your-own croissants and specialty products from around the world — and say goodbye — before shutting down the market.
The last day of business will be this Sunday, June 30. And it may be a quiet farewell that day, for the big sendoff party — which was attended by about 1,250 customers — has already been held.
But fresh produce from California growers is still coming in this week, and still being sold at Rasmussen’s signature low prices: Santa Rosa plums for 99 cents a pound, white peaches for $1.49 and plumcots and apriums for $1.99.
Business has been brisk in this final month, with customers doing both their regular shopping and stocking up.
“The prices are good,” said Brian Chad, who has been driving down from Redwood City for more than 20 years to shop here. On this day he bought pickling cucumbers, cherries and bok choy.
Zach Rizk, of Palo Alto, accompanied his mother, another longtime regular. “The cheese selection is unparalleled,” he said.
Indeed, Rasmussen estimates they have offered up to 300 or 400 types of cheese.
“The cheese of choice for me is the 11-year-old Wisconsin cheddar — probably the most aged cheddar in stores anywhere in the United States!” then added: “Wisconsin might be the exception.”
The shelves and cold cases have also been stocked regularly with such specialty products as Canadian-style sour cream, rice pudding from France, the Bulgarian roasted-pepper spread called ajvar, pickled onions from England, butter from Ireland, Germany and New Zealand — and oh-so-many varieties of pierogi, stuffed with sauerkraut and mushrooms, beef, veal, chicken, lamb, potato or sweet cheese.
Dairy products have been a Rasmussen specialty dating back to 1958 when Steve’s parents owned the Milk Pail Dairy in Hayward, which served schools throughout the Bay Area for decades, and the Castle Creamery brand.
Since announcing the Mountain View shutdown, Rasmussen said he and his family — wife Lian and daughters Kai and Erika — have received “lots of shout-outs” from other business owners for the style in which they are closing their operation and saying farewell to the community.
“We weren’t ‘forced’ to close, but the factors affecting our business going forward weren’t nearly as robust as several years ago,” Rasmussen said. “The labor situation for talented, skilled staff is extremely difficult. Several of my business owner friends are working much more now than a few years ago due to help issues.”
But, as he wrote on the website, he was proud to be able to offer his employees a profit-sharing plan, health care and vacation time.
In the end, he said, it was “inevitable” that the Milk Pail would play a part in the changes overtaking Silicon Valley.
And inevitable that Redwood City’s Chad would have to find a new source for well-priced produce.
Where will he shop after this weekend?
“That’s a good question,” he said.
Details: Until the official closing, the Milk Pail will remain open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays, until 7 p.m. Saturday and 6 p.m. on the final day. 2585 California St., the Village at San Antonio Center, Mountain View. 650-941-2505; www.milkpail.com.